Talking Architecture & Design Podcast (Episode 228) - Water, so fundamental to life, yet so complex Listen Now
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    Feature Articles

    School ovals and playgrounds are sitting unused. Why aren’t more open to the community?
    School ovals and playgrounds are sitting unused. Why aren’t more open to the community?

    Schools are full of extremely useful and valuable facilities. These include playing fields, play equipment, sandpits, netball courts, concert halls, libraries and even pools.


    How our regions can help make Australia’s growing cities more sustainable
    How our regions can help make Australia’s growing cities more sustainable

    The way we organise our cities and regions creates problems everywhere. We’re facing difficult and polluting drives to work, a lack of affordable housing, and urban designs that lead to car dependency and are bad for our health.


    Why building more big dams is a costly gamble for our future water security and the environment
    Why building more big dams is a costly gamble for our future water security and the environment

    Climate change and biodiversity loss are mounting threats to Australia’s water security. So we often hear calls for more dams. But is that the answer?


    215 million hectares of forest – an area bigger than Mexico – could grow back by itself, if we can just leave it alone
    215 million hectares of forest – an area bigger than Mexico – could grow back by itself, if we can just leave it alone

    About 215 million hectares of land – an area bigger than Mexico – could be reforested naturally and without costly manual planting, our new research shows.


    Rebuilding homes after a disaster is an opportunity to build back better – why isn’t the insurance industry on board?
    Rebuilding homes after a disaster is an opportunity to build back better – why isn’t the insurance industry on board?

    For many Australians, 2022 was a dark and devastating year. Major floods wreaked havoc on hundreds of communities in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. But for some, the floods themselves were only half the disaster.


    No home left behind: A postcode approach to electrification
    No home left behind: A postcode approach to electrification

    In Australia and overseas, it’s clear that homes without gas – running on clean energy – are healthier, have cheaper power bills, and produce lower greenhouse emissions.


    How extreme weather and costs of housing and insurance trap some households in a vicious cycle
    How extreme weather and costs of housing and insurance trap some households in a vicious cycle

    Climate change is increasing the risk of extreme weather events for Australian households. Floods and bushfires are becoming more likely and severe. As a result, household insurance costs are soaring – tripling in some cases. High-risk areas might even become uninsurable.


    Do electric cars greatly increase the average mass of cars on the road?
    Do electric cars greatly increase the average mass of cars on the road?

    Statements have been circulating online, including leading news platforms, that battery electric cars will greatly increase the average mass of the on-road fleet. This claim is used as an argument against these cars.


    Stylish and supportive solutions for aged care bathrooms
    Stylish and supportive solutions for aged care bathrooms

    Quality aged and health care design seamlessly integrates safety, accessibility and hygiene with comfort and style for residents, patients, and staff. Numerous studies have shown that patients and residents are directly impacted by the physical design and aesthetics of their environment.


    Queensland Premier Steven Miles is promising to hold a vote on nuclear power
    Queensland Premier Steven Miles is promising to hold a vote on nuclear power

    Queensland Premier Steven Miles this week declared his party would hold a plebiscite on nuclear power if it returns to office at the forthcoming state election.


    ‘The waters become corrupt, the air infected’. How Ancient Greeks and Romans grappled with environmental damage
    ‘The waters become corrupt, the air infected’. How Ancient Greeks and Romans grappled with environmental damage

    Today the perilous state of the environment is often in the news. Many stories describe how Earth is being damaged by human beings and discuss ways to prevent this.


    Peace & warmth: How thermal roof Insulation improves wellbeing
    Peace & warmth: How thermal roof Insulation improves wellbeing

    Quality aged and healthcare design is centred around maximising resident, patient, and staff wellbeing. An important consideration is thermal comfort. This is especially important as older people find it difficult to cope with temperature extremes. Well-insulated buildings also offer better noise control and create a more peaceful living environment.


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